Summarizing the Questions Surrounding the School’s Budget

After years of significant budget increases without student growth, the county supervisors gave a clear assignment to the school board this budget season–pass a lean budget because public safety needs are a funding priority this year. Recent wildfires and climbing crime rates demonstrate the community’s need for law enforcement and fire & rescue, so it was a concern to supervisors when the school system asked to consume approximately $2.5 million of the mere $4 million additional revenue created by the recently passed tax increase.

The supervisors brought attention to issues with the school system’s priorities as reflected by their proposed spending.  Concerns raised included:

* The choice to add a $100k/yr. communications director position while cutting the addition of a second agriculture teacher to help serve the demands of the successful ag program that is filled to capacity.

* The desire to spend $1.5 million to replace tennis courts while cutting the proposed HVAC program at Blue Ridge Tech.

* Giving across the board admin raises while cutting the proposed “experienced teacher stipend” that aimed to attract seasoned veteran teachers to federally struggling Skyline Middle School.

Attention was then brought to mismanagement of the current year’s spending; the $55k legal budget having already been overspent to exceed $160k with tens of thousands of additional invoices likely still looming.

Next, was discussion about teaching positions the county had appropriated money for but were left unfilled.  Where was the monetary excess from those vacancies; had it been moved and spent elsewhere?  The school system had not been able to provide an answer by the time of this meeting.  The superintendent stated there were a mere 4 vacancies; a number the county supervisors and this North River School board member did not believe to be accurate, citing long term sub data and the knowledge of teachers covering other classes during planning periods.

The one thing everyone in the room seemed to agree on was teachers, who are in short supply and dealing with ever increasing discipline problems, deserve a raise.  The county supervisors have asked the school board to revise their proposed budget.

Melanie Salins
Warren County, VA

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